Delineation of Two Clinically and Molecularly Distinct Subgroups of Posterior Fossa Ependymoma.

Despite histological similarity of ependymomas from throughout the neuraxis, the disease likely comprises multiple independent entities, each with a distinct molecular pathogenesis. Transcriptional profiling of two large independent cohorts of ependymomas reveals the existence of two demographically, transcriptionally, genetically and clinically distinct groups of posterior fossa (PF) ependymoma. Group A patients are younger, have laterally located tumors with a balanced genome, and are much more likely to exhibit recurrence, metastasis, and death as compared to Group B patients. Identification and optimization of immunohistochemical markers for PF ependymoma subgroups allowed validation of our findings on a third group of independent ependymomas using a human ependymoma tissue microarray, and provides a tool for prospective prognostication and stratification of PF ependymoma patients. This SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below. Overall design: Refer to individual Series